Bloody Sunday inquiry resumes in London

The Bloody Sunday inquiry is set to resume in London today following the summer recess.

The Bloody Sunday inquiry is set to resume in London today following the summer recess.

The inquiry, chaired by Lord Saville, is investigating the death of 13 civilians shot dead by members of the British Army parachute regiment during a civil rights march in the city in January 1972. A 14th person died later.

Lord Saville

The tribunal moved from Derry to London last year to hear evidence from military witnesses who claimed travelling to Northern Ireland would have put their lives at risk.

It reopens at Central Hall, Westminster, this morning where it is expected to remain for another six weeks. It will then return to the Guildhall in Derry for the final leg - with Lord Saville hoping to end the hearing of witnesses by Christmas.

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He and the two Commonwealth judges sitting with him will then spend months sifting through the evidence they have heard before producing their report, which is expected to be presented to the Government by next autumn.

Lord Saville and his colleagues will have to try to finally give a definitive answer to what happened on the fateful day.

Civilian witness who gave evidence in Derry claimed the paratroopers opened fire indiscriminately on innocent civilians in the Bogside. Military witnesses, many whose identities have been protected, insisted civilians were never targeted and that they only opened fire on gunmen, petrol bombers and nail bombers.

Sinn Féin MP Martin McGuinness will be among high profile witnesses to give evidence when the inquiry returns to Derry. He has admitted he was the Provisional IRA's second-in-command in the city on Bloody Sunday and will tell the inquiry that IRA members held to a pledge not to open fire on the security forces during the march.

At least five former members of the official IRA are also due to give evidence about what they did on the day. They are expected to admit to having opened fire, but firing only a few shots and only after the paratroopers had already shot a number of people.